Case and trunk construction



Jan. 20, 1953 M. H. SHERMAN CASE AND TRUNK CONSTRUCTION Filed March 30, 1950 Inventor MAQV/N JY. SWEQMAN,

Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIEE CASE AND TRUNK CONSTRUCTION Marvin H. Sherman, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application March 30, 1950, Serial No. 152,852

1 Claim.

This invention relates to case and trunk construction, and more particularly to certain improvements in the construction of cases and trunks by means of which they are made more attractive in appearance, more leak-proof against dust and moisture, and more durable in the usual rough handling which such cases usually get.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide an integral metal side or cover for the body of the case and also for the cover or top and which terminates in an integral tongue or groove along the meeting edges of the cover and the body, thus avoiding the use of separate tongue and grooves strips to be riveted or otherwise secured in place along the outside of the meeting tdges. This gives a smooth and continuous outer surface with only a thin meeting line between the top and body of the case.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved corner metal piece which is round for the greater part of its length and is provided with a formed integral angle end to receive the corner clip or clamp in such a way as to leave no opening in their upper edges to receive dust and moisture, and also to give a better finish at the corner.

In order to better describe the invention, I have shown an embodiment thereof on the accompanying sheet of drawings, which I will now describe.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a case embodying my invention, with a portion of the side out out to show the meeting edges of top and body;

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the case, taken on line 2-2, of Fig. 1; and Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of the end of one of the new corner members, showing how it terminates in an integral angle end.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the invention can be embodied in small or large cases, trunks and other box-form containers having a body with a hinged top.

In the present showing the metal front is designated 4 and is shown extended up and over the top edge of the body board 5, and formed into a groove 6, also seen in Fig. 2, said sheet metal then being extended down on the inside of the body, as at I. This construction follows all the way around the top edge of the body, the groove 6 being stamped in the metal sheets and the overlapping portion of said sheet metal being stamped in one operation.

The sheet metal cover for the top is designated 8 and its edge is stamped into a form to fit over the edge of said top, with the tongue 9 formed therein, to fit the groove 6 on the body edge. Thus when the top is let down upon the body to close the case, there is a close and accurate tongue and groove fit between the two which results in a dust-proof joint.

On the corner of the case, I have provided a round corner member, designated H), which is formed by stamping to provide its upper end with an integral angle form, designated ll. As this corner piece 10 is put in place on a corner, and the corner clamps, as l2 and I3 are secured in place in the usual manner, it will be noted at the upper end, Fig. 1, where the upper clamp I2 is secured, that the clamp 12 fits closely the angle end II, as at l4, and leaves no opening at the end between the clamp I2 and the angle end of the corner member H). A portion of the corner clamp of the top is broken away at IE to expose the upper end of the corner member and clamp.

This construction makes for strong, dust-proof joints end corners, which are not possible where separate strips of metal are provided in order to provide the tongue and groove edge fit between top and body of the case.

I do not limit the invention to the showing, except as I may be limited by the hereto appended claim.

I claim:

In case and trunk construction, a box body and a box top therefor to be placed thereupon edge to edge, complete sheet metal coverings for said box and said top, said sheet metal coverings being bent by stamping, respectively, over the meeting edges of said box and said top, and having integral tongue and groove formations, respectively, in the edge covering portions of said sheet metal coverings, and a fastening corner member for said sheet metal covering, consisting of an integral semi-round metal member having its end stamped to form an integral angle end portion thereof to rest flatwise upon the two sides of the angle corner of said box, with the upper end of said angle portion flush with the top edge of said box, at the top corner edge thereof, and a clamp element secured over said corner member at its angle end, securing the same flatwise around said box body corner, substantially as illustrated.

MARVIN H. SHERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 444,736 Topham Jan. 13, 1891 909,630 Marstaller Jan. 12, 1909 1,644,806 Witbeck Oct. 11, 192'? 1,914,154 Palumbo June 13, 1933 

